Method of forming a body of salt



Feb. 2, 1954 BLA'SCZYK 2,667,663

METHOD OF FORMING A BODY OF SALT 7 Filed Aug. 6, 1949 1 55 IN V EN TOR.56 1 7/ j 3% B M 57 7 255 32 ,QTTOENEV Patented Feb. 2, 1954 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF FORMING A BODY OF SALT Leon Blasczyk,Glendale, Calif. Application August 6, 1949, Serial No. 109,025

3 Claims. 1

My invention relates to a method for applying substances to soils and toplant life to promote growth of plant life.

It is an object of the invention to prepare a body of material ormaterials, this body being referred to hereinafter as a briquette.

It is an object of the invention to provide a simple method for applyingnitrogen to the soil or for applying pest controls to plants and tosoil. Nitrogen in some form or other is necessary if plant health andgrowth are to be maintained. Some growing plants have the power toabsorb and assimilate the traces of ammonium and free nitrogen from theair, While all plants are capable of absorbing nitrogen through theirroots. In my invention I prepare a simple briquette containingammoniacal nitrogen which is to be dissolved and entrained in waterwhich is fed to the soil, in an amount corresponding to the nitrogenabsorbing ability of plant roots, namely about 1 of soluble ammoniacalnitrogen.

It is an object of the invention to prepare a briquette of novel formand a device likewise of novel form and having parts to support thebriquette while water is caused to flow across the surfaces of thebriquette to dissolvematerial from the surface.

In the preferred practice of the invention, I v

have established a briquette density and control the rate of dissolutionin the device provided for this purpose, so as to obtain a solution ofrequired strength for fertilizing purposes. Also, the briquette is ofsuch size as to fertilize a prescribed area of lawn. At the presenttime, I make the briquette of such size that when dissolved andsprinkled onto the lawn it will provide a proper fertilization for alawn of 150 square feet area. Accordingly, the lawn area to be treatedmay be readily computed and the number of briquettes needed therebydetermined.

It is a further object of the invention to produce a briquettecomprising a solid mass of ammonium sulphate, and a method of makingthis briquette so as to provide the briquette with qualities which willbe hereinafter described in detail.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be brought out inthe following part of the specification wherein I have described apreferred embodiment of my invention in detail for the purpose ofdisclosure without limitingthe scope of the invention set forth in theappended claims.

Referring to the drawings which are for illustrative purposes only:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a briquette produced by myinvention and the applicator in which it is used.

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken as indicated by the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a schematic sectional view showing a portion of the method offorming the briquette.

In Fig. 1, I show a cylindric briquette I 0 of dissoluble materialsupported substantially coaxially within a cylindric chamber H so thatwater may circulate in a helical path around the exterior of thebriquette, to dissolve substance from the exterior of the briquettewhich will be carried by the water to a point of application.

The dispensing device comprises a wall It of transparent material, withend walls I4 and [5 on the ends of the transparent tube l3. At least oneof the end Walls l4 and I5 is detachable, so as to provide a chamberconstruction formed of parts separable to provide access to the chamberwhereby a briquette It may be placed therein. The end wall I4 is shownthreaded onto the tube l3 and the washer 6 is provided to seal the jointagainst leakage. The end wall It is provided with an external hosecouplin l1 whereby it may be threaded onto a hose I8. The end wall I5,

also shown threaded on the end of the tubular member I3 is provided witha coupling 9 to receive a nozzle 20 or other water distributing means. Ascreen element consisting of a perforated plate 2| is disposed Withinthe member l5 across the adjacent end of the tubular member l3, whichscreen is held in place by a washer 22. A tube 23 projects from theopening 24 of the member I4, axially through the chamber H, and betweenthe free end 25 of the tube 23 and the central portion of the perforatedplate 2|, means of engagement are provided for holding the end portion25 of the tube 23 in axial alignment. This means of engagement consistsof a projection 26 in the central portion of the plate 2| arranged toengage the extremity of the tube 23, as shown.

The water from the hose l8 flows directly into the tube 23 and from thistube 23 into the chamber ll through a radial opening 2! in the tube wallnear the front end of the tube, and through a plurality of ports at theextreme opposite end of the tube 23 formed by cutting notches 28 in thetube end. The openings 27 and 2B of the tube 23 are proportioned so thata greater portion of the water flows outwardly through the notches 28and then forwardly through the openings of the screen, and a lesserportion of the water passes through the radial opening 21 into 3 thefront end of the chamber ll so that it will circulate across the surfaceof the briquette Iii with a swirling movement as indicated by arrows A2.The suction produced by issue of water through the notches 28 causessome flow of water along the surface or the tube 23, but the principaldissolving flow is externally of the briquette H3.

The briquette it has an opening 23 axially therethrough to receive thetube 2o, whereby the tube will act to support the briquette til in thechamber ii in such position that the external 7 surface of the briquettei the tubular member it, thereby providing; an annular space around thebriquette through which the dissolving flow of watermay swirl; Thebriquette it comprises substantially a single cylindric crystal ofammonium sulphate and therefore contains slightly over 29% of ammoniacal nitrogen, which is a valuable plant food. The briquette it isformed as will be hereinafter de scribed. Owing to its formation, thebriquette is is gradually reduced by surface disscluion as the waterflows through the chamber ii, instead of immediately working up and crumpresence or" water, as is characteristic of -;masses of salts such asammonium sulphate. Also, my dispensing device, the proportioning oi theflows of water through the notches Z3 and the opening 27 produces asubstantially constant proportioning of the salt content of the waterwhich passes through the nozzle and this proportion is closely adheredto regardless of variations in the rate of flow of water through thenozzle A feature of the device is that when the briquette it is usedin-conjunction therewith, a consistent l% solution oi the salt in thewater obtained. The briquette carries a small quantity of coloringmatter, namely of 1% resorcinolphthalein, which results in coloring thewater yellowish green, this coloring of the water serving. as anindication of the dissolved salt being carried by theewater. When thiscolor disappears from the water stream, the user understands .thatJthebriquette it has been entirely dissolved. I

- The briuuette it is made so as to constitutea substantially continuousor single crystal or" salt in the following manner. Ammonium sulphate,which ordinarily hasa moisture content of about 16% is dried at atemperature slightly below the temperature at which ammonium sulphatedis! integrates so as to reduce the water-content of theammoniumsulphate to about 12 The sure faces of the dried salt grains or crystalsare moistened and the entire mass of salt grains is, without delay,subjected to heavy compression. In other words, the grains of salt areforced together under heavy pressure before the moisture on the surfacesof the grains has been absorbed into the grains. When the moisture isfirst applied to the surfaces of the grains, these surfaces haveacementitious or tacky consistency, so that when the grains are pressedtogether the surfaces ,will cement, thereby forming vthe small grains orcrystals into a large crystal ofsalt.

While thersalt mass is'under compression, the' moisture, which wasoriginally applied to the surfaces of the grains becomes substantiallyevenly distributed throughout the compressed salt mass. The amount ofwater added to the dried salt crystals is about 3% by weight, ofthefbriquette thus formed, giving the briquette a moisture content ofslightly less thanth'e normal content designated as being about 16 InFig. 3, l schematically show my apparatus for producing the briii willbe spaced from-- ling in the quette 50. A die 39 is provided having acylindric opening 3|, there being an axial opening 32 leading from theopening or die chamber 3!. A retractible stem 33 extends through thisopening 32 and has a portion 3 projecting upwardly within the chamberthere being an ejection disc 35 in the bottom of the chamber 3i engagedby the annularshoulder The stem 33 and its extension has therein a steampassage 37, andthe'extension has therein agp'lurality of steam outletopenings A plunger is provided having downwardly projecting stern illaligned with --the stem extension the-use oi the die shown in Fig. 3,the salt is ground and is subjected to a heat of 75 C. for

wten minutes to dehydrate the grains of salt. Whilethesalt is hot, andwithout material cooling thereof, it is placed in the die chamber 3!.

I-nFig.13, I show a mass Q3 of dried grains in the chamber surroundingthe extension 3%.- lmmediately after the placing of the salt :23 in thachamber 3!, wet steam is passed through the passage and out throughthe'openings 38 into thesaltto moisten the surfaces of thesalt. Then,withoutdelay, is lowered. The

the plunger stern ti of the plunger so moves downwardly and at the-sametime the stern is retracted so that the stem M occupies the position ofthe extension and. passes down through the opening in the disc as theplunger engages the salt at and thenconipresses the same in the thechamber 3!.

The iplunger is caused to apply a pressure of about'artons per squareinch to themass of salt 43,,forcing the salt grains tig; tly togetherwhile thesurfaces of the grains are tacky, producing a cementing of thegrains and resulting in the for-. mationof .a briquette which will notcrumble, will not, readily break upon being dropped onto thefloorandwhich will not crumble in the presence cfwater. The plunger itand its stein ll are lifted, The stem 33 is then moved back into theposition in which it is shown in full lines in 3 audits, upward movementis continued so that the shoulder 36 will engage the disc to move it,upwardly and thereby eject the briquette from the cavity of the mouldas.

I claim:

1, A method of forming a body comprising principally ammonium salt,comprising: applyingiheat to a plurality of grains of said salt for aperiod of time suiiicient to remove more than 3% of moisture therefrom;applying about 3% o f moisture to the surfaces of said grains; andimmediately thereafter pressing said grains together so that by surfacecementation they will be held together with such homogeneity as toresist rapid absorption of water into the body of; salt 2. Ahiethorl offorming a body comprising principally ammonium salt, comprising: appl'ing heat to a pluralityof grains of said salt for a period of timesufiicient to remove more than 3% of moisture therefrom; applying about3% of. moisture to the surfaces of said grains while they are hot; andunder heat and pressure forcing said grains together so that by surfacecementation they will be held together with such homogeneity as to,resist rapid absorption of Water into the body of salt thereby formed; a

3 A. method of forming a body comprising principally ammonium salt,comprising: apply,- fingheat to a pluralityof grains of said salt for aperiod of time suflicient to remove more than 3%zof;-moi sturetherefrom; applying moisture to 7 the surfaces of said grains while theyarehot;

and under heat and pressure in excess of 1000 lbs. per sq. inch forcingsaid grains together so that by surface cementation they will be heldtogether with such homogeneity as to resist rapid absorption of waterinto the body of salt thereby formed.

LEON BLASCZYK.

References Cited in the file of this patent Number 6 Name Date Thorssellet a1 Aug. 28, 1923 Adam et a1 July 25, 1933 Kreisler Nov. 12, 1935Gifi'ord Oct. 22, 1940 Gifford Nov. 5, 1940 Hardesty et a1 June 23, 1942Canfield et a1 Apr. 13, 1948 Schulerud Oct. 28, 1949

1. A METHOD OF FORMING A BODY COMPRISING PRINCIPALLY AMMONIUM SALT,COMPRISING: APPLYING HEAT TO A PLURALITY OF GRAINS OF SAID SALT FOR APERIOD OF TIME SUFFICIENT TO REMOVE MORE THAN 3% OF MOISTURE THEREFROM;APPLYING ABOUT 3% OF MOISTURE TO THE SURFACES OF SAID GRAINS; ANDIMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER PRESSING SAID GRAINS TOGETHER SO THAT BY SURFACECEMENTATION THEY WILL BE HELD TOGETHER WITH SUCH HOMOGENEITY AS TORESIST RAPID ABSORPTION OF WATER INTO THE BODY OF SALT.